Plugins (VST, AU, RTAS) for 8-bit sound

To use these virtual 8-bit sound synthesizers and effects, you need a plugin host like FL Studio, Renoise or others... For info, SAVIhost is a good free standalone VST plugin host for Windows. Perfect to test VST plugins !

The Bitsmacker is a digital distortion swiss army knife for applying digital crust to your otherwise pristine audio signal. It Can simulate vintage samplers, classic video game systems, and other lo-fi paraphenalia. At extreme settings, it warps your audio with power you couldn't get from a stomp box or full stack.

C700[windows/mac, VST/AU]

INST, Free

It emulates SPC700 (the S-SMP's integrated 8-bit CPU core manufactured by Sony with an instruction set similar to that of the MOS Technology 6502 (as used in the Commodore 64 and Vic 20, Apple II, BBC Micro and the original NES). You can import .spc super nintendo music track and use the instruments contained.

This virtual synth produces old school electronical sounds and features a graphical wavetable editor. Chip32 has many midi control options, described in the readme. Additionally, there are an ADSR envelope, a basic filter and a bitcrusher. Good to emulate Nintendo Entertainment System (NES/Famicom) soundchip !

TAL-Bitcrusher is a common bitcrusher with some useful additions. There is a low- and highshelf EQ and a noise cross modulator included. Its maybe useful on drums, especially hats and for distorted leads.

TBK2[windows/mac, VST/AU/RTAS]

FX (Bitcrusher), Commercial

TBK2 is efficient, intuitive and direct - and therefore very simple to use, providing great results with minimal effort, the interface and the options provided makes it easy to achieve a variety of sonic effects including, but not limited to downsampling, bitcrushing, clipping.